Artist, Singer, Songwriter
PAINTER OF THE WEST AND ITS WILD: Melody DeBenedictis

by Fred Hernandez

Her paintings are absolutely beautiful as she captures the very essence of that moment in her subject’s life. That’s Melody DeBenedictis, painter of the wild mustang and wildlife in their natural habitat. She moved West 14 years ago and wanted to focus on her art. A true artist in every sense, she is also a singer and songwriter. It was when she lived in northern Colorado that she was initially invited on a trip to wild horse range. The first time she ever saw wild mustangs in their habitat she was, in her own words,”blown away.” Since then, she has traveled all over the West photographing and painting wild mustangs and burros.
Settling in Custer County two years ago, she opened her Fine Art Gallery and Studio in the town of Westcliffe located at 111 North 3rd Street. Melody is deeply committed to the welfare of wild mustangs on the range, and in holding. Over the years Melody has traveled across the west with EQUUS Film and Arts Fest and The Mustang Summit. While at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo last winter, Melody suggested the idea of having an EQUUS Film Fest in Westcliffe, and founder Lisa Dierson agreed it would be a great venue location! Melody has co-coordinated the events for September 28th through October 1st. This paramount occasion, the first such event in Westcliffe, will bring together an important group of players in the present and future fate of the mustangs due to recent changes.
This group is composed of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which is the agency responsible for the management of wild horses and burros, and the Mustang Heritage Foundation, established in 2001, which worked with the BLM to facilitate successful adoptions until the recent loss of their long running contract. The Cloud Foundation will also be present at the EQUUS Film Festival, a strong voice and filmmaker for the Wild Mustang.
The EQUUS Film and Arts Fest and The Mustang Summit is such an important event to aid in the plight of the mustangs and wild horses spread across the west, with focusing on the present nearing 80,000 wild mustangs lingering in holding facilities across the nation. In the words of Melody, “ We cannot assume that the information out there is correct. It’s important we educate ourselves regarding the issues that surround our West’s public lands. Otherwise we assume. When we do, we may be wrong”. As an example she tells this brief narrative of a customer who was interested in one of her beautiful paintings. She asked him if he knew anything about wild mustangs and he replied that what he understood was that they were overpopulated. Melody asked him when was the last time he had been out on Public Lands where the mustangs live. His reply was “never”; clearly illustrating the lack of information out there in the public sector. Education is key to assuring Land Use of our public lands to be a fair plan moving forward for wild mustangs and wildlife. The demand of industry on our public land is fierce.
Melody is very well versed on the history of the mustang, the problems they face at this time, the need for organized, well funded programs run professionally and transparently, that will protect, maintain, and help these icons of the American West, which is part of the total history of America. The goal is for these magnificent creatures to thrive so that future generations may enjoy them. This is Melody’s mission and she shows her passion for it in the paintings, and songs she creates of these living symbols of the American pioneer spirit, the historic motivation and inner being that propelled this country to greatness.

Come visit Melody and learn more about the organizations that manage the mustangs, and work for their welfare, the laws that affect them and going forward, all the benefits humanity gains by their being here for us. In fact, one significant achievement recently is the advent of equine therapy which has been a big help specifically for veterans who have suffered traumatic experiences. Learn about this milestone in psychology and how it will help our local Veterans here in Westcliffe. For more information about the
EQUUS Film Festival, or Melody’s Gallery here in Westcliffe, you can find her through her website at www.melodydebenedictis.com
Come to the EQUUS Film Festival September 28th through October 1st in Westcliffe!